Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1956

[thwhtGuardian]

Mostly exposition leading to...? Not bad, but not a lot happens. The future visions of The Center were a nice touch. The Russian stuff is redundant, we don't need to be reminded how evil Varvara is.

Yeah, this issue wasn't nearly as good as the first. While the first handled the disparate plots in an even handed and balanced way that created a cohesive feel this was just very exposition heavy with only lip service to the other pieces making it feel disjointed. I'm thinking this will be one of those stories that feels very uneven issue to issue but reads well collected.

[KROENEN]

Issue #2 is very much a table setting episode, I do wish there was more action, but I liked it none the less.

[middenway]

#3 preview.

[KROENEN]

#3 preview.

I'm digging the art.

[zerodemon]

I enjoyed issue 3. That callback to a much older book was very appreciated. Hellboy being essentially absent from this story is a bit unusual. I was really hoping for more Mexico adventures.

[KROENEN]

A lot of flapping and not a lot of happening but it definitely has a different feel from other BPRD stories, very nuanced, character driven, and I'm digging it; seems like the titles have taken on more of a cold war/spy influence with Crimson Lotus and this title.

[Joker]

Hellboy being essentially absent from this story is a bit unusual.

They said at one point that there would definitely be arcs focused on the agents more than Hellboy, and vice versa.

[KROENEN]

I'm all for that, it'll be nice to get the more of the boots on the ground perspective as they are dealing with all this crazy stuff. I would also like to see more in terms of how the general public view all the crazy stuff going on in BPRD, is it widely accepted that demons and ghosts roam the earth? How are religions affected?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I'm hoping Victor the kid with the ghost monkey gets more to do. Him being a cocky teen agent in the 60's was fun in the Visitor comic.

[KROENEN]

I'm hoping Victor the kid with the ghost monkey gets more to do. Him being a cocky teen agent in the 60's was fun in the Visitor comic.

I'd like to learn more about that ghost monkey as well.

EDIT: That last issue, lots of big happenings, but man that hurt....

[Kirby101]

So what was the point of all this? Hellboy's Lost Weekend. Was there some character development at the end I missed. Was there a story in these 5 issues?
Nice art overall though.

[KROENEN]

All in all it was a pretty depressing series, ending on quite a grey note. I really felt for Hellboy at the end.

[TDG]

So what was the point of all this? Hellboy's Lost Weekend. Was there some character development at the end I missed. Was there a story in these 5 issues?
Nice art overall though.

A very good question. To me this was sort of a "transitional" filler, something that seems to have put in to finish up a number of plot points so that that things can be moved to the next series of plot points but is not really satisfying on its own.

I do hope we get a couple more mini series dealing with the paranormal cold war and that it is not quickly resolved in just one mini series like the franchise has been doing lately.

Also kind of a weird jump between art styles sometimes.

[middenway]

I really enjoyed this arc. It's one of my favourite Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. stories. #4 felt like the final issue though, and #5 like a coda or perhaps a bridge. After all, there's still Hellboy vs. Lobster Johnson to come, which'll be collected in the same trade.

[zerodemon]

I really enjoyed this arc. It's one of my favourite Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. stories. #4 felt like the final issue though, and #5 like a coda or perhaps a bridge. After all, there's still Hellboy vs. Lobster Johnson to come, which'll be collected in the same trade.

It does somewhat feel like it ends on a cliffhanger, and with the six year skip to ‘62 coming, and the issue covering (I assume) events from prior to Hellboy’s homecoming, it somewhat seems like we might get some kind of bridging story at some point.